Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Seen it?1984 | 143 min | Adventure, Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (79% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it drew serious awards attention, though it had a lukewarm 6.4 out of 10 from audiences and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for adventure fans. If you loved King Kong or The Poseidon Adventure, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 23 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
A shipping disaster in the 19th Century has stranded a man and woman in the wilds of Africa. The lady is pregnant, and gives birth to a son in their tree house. Soon after, a family of apes stumble across the house and in the ensuing panic, both parents are killed. A female ape takes the tiny boy as a replacement for her own dead infant, and raises him as her son. Twenty years later, Captain Phillippe D'Arnot discovers the man who thinks he is an ape. Evidence in the tree house leads him to believe that he is the direct descendant of the Earl of Greystoke, and thus takes it upon himself to return the man to civilization.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
79% on Rotten Tomatoes, 62 on Metacritic
- AudiencesBelow par
6.4 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Film Awards: Best Make-Up Artist. Also nominated for 3 Oscars, 4 more BAFTAs and 1 Venice award. Plus 1 other award.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$46 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 114K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Hugh Hudson
- Christopher LambertJohn Clayton / Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
- Andie MacDowellMiss Jane Porter
- Ralph RichardsonThe Sixth Earl of Greystoke
- Ian HolmCapitaine Phillippe D'Arnot
- James FoxLord Charles Esker
- Cheryl CampbellLady Alice Clayton
- Ian CharlesonJeffson Brown
- Nigel DavenportMajor Jack Downing
- Nicholas FarrellSir Hugh Belcher
- Richard GriffithsCaptain Billings